Device in a circular, disk-shaped element intended for cleaning purposes

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device in a circular disk-shaped cleaning element intended for cleaning by means of a cleaning machine. The element is designed with a number of recesses ( 3 ) distributed over the active cleaning surface ( 2   a ) thereof Grinding elements ( 4 ) containing industrial diamonds and conventionally used for grinding stone and concrete floors are arranged in the said recesses. The grinding elements are fixed in such a way that in use they only come into light contact with the surface that is to be cleaned. The invention further relates to the use of a cleaning element in connection with wet cleaning conventionally performed with a cleaning machine. Alternatively the device may be used in such a way that dry polishing is first performed using the cleaning element, following which wet cleaning is carried out using a conventional cleaning element.

The present invention relates to a device according to thepre-characterizing clause of claim 1.

In professional floor cleaning, for example in department stores,cleaning machines are used in attempts to remove dirt mechanically,often with the addition of chemicals. As the floors become ever moreworn that is to say scored and cracked and, particularly in the vicinityof dairy and meat counters, exposed to chemical wear, the cleaningresults increasingly deteriorate, and attempts have been made to remedythis with ever greater quantities of more powerfully acting chemicals.It might be said that, in this way, cleaning ends up in vicious circle.

Although it is true that this vicious circle can be broken by grindingthe floor, thereby removing the scores and cracks in which dirtcollects, such grinding requires special machines, takes a relativelylong time to carry out and is also relatively costly.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,054,245 A, 5,605,493 A and 6,234,886 B1 are cited asexamples of the prior art. These published patents relate to devices ofthe type specified in the pre-characterising clause of claim 1, and molespecifically to cleaning machines in which, in order to achieve a bettercleaning result, the ordinary cleaning elements of the machine arecombined with grinding elements containing grinding material such asdiamond for grinding stone floors, for example.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device of theaforementioned type, by means of which cleaning can be rendered moreefficient and the time interval between two grinding operations can beconsiderably extended. This is achieved in that the invention has thefeatures specified in the characterising part of claim 1.

The sub-ordinate claims 2–3 specify advantageous embodiments of theinvention.

The invention also relates to the use of a cleaning element according tothe invention as set forth in claim 4.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference tothe drawing attached, in which

FIG. 1 a, in a perspective view shows, by way of example, a cleaningelement with a nylon scouring surface according to the invention.

FIG. 1 b shows a cross-section through the cleaning element in FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 2 a in a perspective view shows another example of an embodimentwith a brush surface and in which grinding elements are arranged in adifferent pattern to that in FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through a grinding element in aspring-mounted thermoplastic holder.

Fitted to a cleaning machine of conventional type, a circular,disk-shaped cleaning element according to the invention is intended toimprove the cleaning result and to this end comprises a rigid bottomdisk 1, which is slightly convex. Fixed to the bottom disk 1 is a disk 2made from a material which from experience gives a good cleaning result.Such a material is, for example, so-called nylon scouring material. Inthe disk 2 are a number of recesses 3 distributed over the activecleaning surface 2 a thereof. Grinding elements 4 are arranged in thesaid recesses in such a way that, in the cleaning operation, these onlycome into light contact with the surface that is to be cleaned. Thegrinding elements 4, which are arranged in various patterns, and at thecorners of a triangle in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a, are of theusual type used in grinding stone or concrete floors and containindustrial diamonds. The requirement that the grinding element shouldonly come into light contact with the surface that is to be cleaned ismet in that when the disk 2 is compressed in use the active surface 4 aof the elements lies directly under the active surface 2 a of the disk2.

As shown in FIG. 3, each grinding element 4 is enclosed in athermoplastic holder 4 b and the holder is in turn spring-mounted on thebottom disk 1 of the cleaning element. The springing preferably consistsof a siliconc spring disk 5 and is fixed to the bottom disk 1 by meansof a Velcro element 6.

As will be apparent from another particular characteristic of theinvention and as is shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning element is designedwith a bush surface, that is to say the disk 2 is of a bush-likematerial. It will be appreciated that the disk 2 may naturally bedesigned with a combination of nylon scouring material and brush-likematerial. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the grinding elements arelocated in radial rows, a recess being provided for each grindingelement.

The device may alternatively be used in such a way that dry polishing isfirst performed using the cleaning element according to the invention,following which wet cleaning is carried out using a conventionalcleaning element such as a nylon scouring disk.

1. A disk-shaped cleaning element intended for cleaning and used on acleaning machine, comprising: a bottom disk, the disk having a pluralityof recesses distributed over an active cleaning surface of the disk;grinding elements, containing industrial diamonds which are used forgrinding stone and concrete floors, arranged in the plurality ofrecesses; and a thermoplastic holder enclosing each grinding element,wherein the recesses are dimensioned such that the grinding elementsonly come into contact with a surface to be cleaned when the disk iscompressed, and the grinding elements are brought into light contactwith the surface that is to be cleaned when the disk is compressed bypressing the active cleaning surface against the surface to be cleaned,and the thermoplastic holder is spring-mounted on the disk.
 2. Thedisk-shaped cleaning element according to claim 1, wherein the cleaningelement comprises a scouring disk.
 3. The disk-shaped cleaning elementaccording to claim 2, wherein the scouring disk is made from nylon. 4.The disk-shaped cleaning element according to claim 1, wherein thecleaning element is designed with a brush surface.
 5. The disk-shapedcleaning element according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning elementcomprises both a scouring disk and a brush surface.
 6. The disk-shapedcleaning element according to claim 1, further comprising a spring diskfor spring-mounting the thermoplastic holder.
 7. The disk-shapedcleaning element according to claim 6, wherein spring disk is a siliconespring disk.
 8. The disk-shaped cleaning element according to claim 6,wherein the spring disk is attached to the disk by fasteners.
 9. Thedisk-shaped cleaning element according to claim 8, wherein the fastenersare Velcro.
 10. A method for cleaning and used on a cleaning machine,comprising: dry polishing using a disk-shaped cleaning element, thedisk-shaped cleaning element includes: a bottom disk, the disk having aplurality of recesses distributed over an active cleaning surface of thedisk; grinding elements, containing industrial diamonds which are usedfor grinding stone and concrete floors, arranged in the plurality ofrecesses; and a thermoplastic holder enclosing each grinding element,wherein the active cleaning surface is brought into contact with asurface that is to be cleaned, and the grinding elements are broughtinto light contact with the surface that is to be cleaned when the diskis compressed, and the thermoplastic holder is spring-mounted on thedisk; and wet cleaning using a cleaning element.